Suspected Ritualist Explains Why He Attempted to Use His Young Cousin
A suspect ritualist, Jonah Jabbah, who allegedly attempted to use his eight-year-old cousin for money-making ritual said that he felt the lad was responsible for his misfortune in business.
A Police Investigator, Mr. Simon Ezekiel, made the disclosure in his testimony to an Abuja Court on Thursday.
Ezekiel,
who investigated the case, told a Karu Chief Magistrates’ Court in
Abuja, presided over by Mr. Shaibu Ahmed, that the accused made the
confession during interrogation at the station.
Jonah,
his brother, Nanah Jabbah and one Alhaji Mamman are facing a
three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, abduction and attempt to
commit an offence.
Ezekiel,
who appeared in court as a prosecution witness, alleged that the three
conspired to use an eight-year-old boy, Lokoja Abash, for ritual
sometime in 2011.
He was led in evidence by the Prosecution Counsel, Mr. John Ijagbemi.
The
investigator said the accused persons were arrested by operatives of
the State Security Service (SSS) on April 12, 2011 and transferred to
the State Police CID Command in Abuja, three days later.
He
said that the accused persons, all residents of Kokona in Nasarawa, had
taken the boy to a spiritualist, based in Durumi II, Abuja, Mohammed
Ibrahim, for ritual purposes.
“The spiritualist requested for N30,000 to enable him buy the items needed for the ritual which they provided.
“Ibrahim,
who told them to wait for him in his shrine while he went to purchase
the items, tipped off the SSS whose operatives stormed the shrine and
arrested the suspects.
“During
interrogation, the first accused person (Jonah) told me that the boy
was his cousin and had been staying with him for some time before the
incident.
“He said after the boy joined him, his provision business collapsed and his pick-up van broke down beyond repair.
“Jonah
confessed that he decided to use him for ritual because he later
discovered that the boy was in a secret society and was responsible his
misfortune,’’ he alleged.
The
witness also said that he led the investigation team on a visit to the
scene of the incident and discovered that the shrine existed.
After
the witness’ testimony, the prosecution counsel tendered signed written
statements made by the accused persons’ at the station as exhibits.
The court admitted the statements in evidence after the accused persons agreed that they were made and signed by them.
When
asked whether they had any question to the evidence of the prosecution
witness, the accused persons, who represented themselves in court,
answered in the negative.
The Chief Magistrate then adjourned the case till May 30, for continuation of hearing and presentation of more witnesses. (NAN).
